Boarding machine



July 30, 1935. RAUSCH 2,009,518

BOARDING MACHINE Filed May 6, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 /NVENTOP \m July 30, 1935. K. RAUSCH 2,009,518

BOARDING MACHINE Filed May 6, 1952 e s ets-552591 2 //\lVE/\/ TOR IM July 30, 1935. K. RAUSCH BOARDING MACHINE Filed May 6, 1932 -6 Sheets-Sheet 5 VEN TOR July 30, 1935. K. RAUSCH BOARDING MACHINE Filed May 6, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 VENTOR y 1935- K. RAUSCH 2,009,518

BOARDING MACHINE Filed May 6, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.9 2 i July 30, 1935. K. RAUSCH BOARDING MACHINE Filed May 6, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 lNvENTOR Patented July 30, 1935 UNETED STATES BOARDING MACHINE Karl Rausch, Dresden, Germany, assignor to The Turner Tanning Machinery Company, Portland, Maine, a corporation of Maine Application May'6, 1932, Serial No. 609,633 In Germany May 20, 1931 54 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in means for treating hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work. While the invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine for graining and softening pieces of leather, it is to be understood that the invention and various important features thereof may have other applications and uses.

Machines for graining and softening pieces of leather are commonly referred to as boarding machines, and these machines as heretofore constructed have characteristically comprised one or more rolls having frictional surfaces for engaging a piece of work to cause a fold therein to travel throughout a portion of the piece of work to effect the graining and softening operations, the roll or rolls being so constructed and arranged as to maintain control of the piece of Work and operate thereon until treatment of the portion of the work being operated upon is finished. In such machines it not infrequently happens that a fold or tuck or wrinkled portion,

particularly in the full marginal or skirt portions of the piece of leather, will be drawn into the field of boarding operations with the result that the fold or tuck or wrinkled portion becomes set as a crease in the work, thus producing an imperfection that cannot ordinarily be removed or efiaced. Furthermore, in such prior machines, the lighter flank and shank portions of the tanned skin are ordinarily subjected to the same pressure of treatment as the firmer or-heavier portions nearer to the backbone line of the skin undergoing treatment. Commonly, such prior art machines also require considerable attention on the part of the operator who must be expert in presenting the Work to the machine throughout the operation of the latter in order to secure the best results.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved boarding machine wherein the deficiencies and defects of prior constructions are eliminated or greatly minimized, while maintaining a high standard of quality in the workand an even greater output per unit of time.

To these ends, and in accordance with an important feature of theinvention, the improved boarding machine comprises a roll having spaced or segmental boarding surfaces. Preferably, and as shown, these surfaces are so constructed and arranged as to engage and operate intermittently upon a piece of work, the latter being released intermittently during boarding operations. The advantage of such release of the work is found in the fact that the piece of work maybe conditioned in the intervals between boarding operations to remove or efface tucks or folds which otherwise would have entered into the field of boarding operations and been set as creases or other imperfections in the finished grain surface.

As illustrated, two rolls are employed for performing a boarding operation, each roll having a plurality of segmental work treating members and movable about axes located substantially in the same plane with the rolls in close juxtaposition to each other and driven in the same direction. With this arrangement one roll moves the work in a direction away from the edge of a suitable work supporting member while the other roll moves an adjacent portion of the work toward said edge whereby a fold in the piece of work is caused to travel over the edge of the work supporting member. If desired, the piece of work maybe held rather closely to the edge of a. Work supporting member of the type designed to introduce the work between the work treating rolls. To accomplish this result, the roll which operates to move a portion of the work in a direction away from said edge of the work supporting member. may be of a larger diameter than the other roll. Not only is the work held closely to the edge of the work supporting member by this arrangement and thus bent sharply to secure graining thereof but the work is subjected to a more efficient softening operation thanwould otherwise be the case.

' As disclosed herein, the lighter and looser-textured portions of a piece of leather may be treated during boarding operations with a lighter pressure than thefirmer or heavier portions nearer to the backbone line of the tanned skin. For this purpose, one of the rolls is tapered toward each end from a central cylindrical portion thereof, it being an important feature of the invention that provision is made to vary in a conven-. ient manner the length of said cylindrical portion whereby the machine is readily adapted for operations upon diiierent sizes of work. This may be accomplished by providing one of the work treating rolls with longitudinally flexible segmental members arranged to be backed by one or more members designed to vary the diameter of the roll in various portions thereof by adjustment of the flexible members. Conveniently, suitably-shaped members carried by collars on the roll shaft serve as backing members for the flexible segmental members and by their sliding adjustment on the said shaft cause variation in the length of the cylindrical portion of the roll.

To provide allowance for wear of the workpresenting edge of the work supporting member, the latter is adjustable upon supporting arms mounted for movement in the frame of the machine. This feature of adjustment also facilitates treatment of pieces of work which differ substantially in their average thickness dimensions. Preferably, and as shown, means is provided for moving the work supporting member between work receiving and work presenting positions and for locking the work supporting member in its work presenting position. If desired, the pieces of work may be presented to the boarding mem her or members by a vertically movable member having an edge portion adapted to introduce the work to the grip of the boarding member or members, such vertically movable work supporting member possessing certain advantages. For example, upon release of the work by one or by both segmental rolls in the manner described, the work is adjusted by gravity to remove or efface the folds or tucks which otherwise were likely to result in imperfect work.

Means is provided in the illustrated machine for driving the rolls from a single source of power, said means conveniently comprising a construction wherein the rolls are carried by supporting arms located at the ends of shafts which mount the rolls, said supporting arms being pivotally mounted in pairs upon a shaft which also supports gears serving as part of the driving means for the rolls. By this arrangement the gears remain in mesh during adjustment of the supporting arms. An adjusting means, in a preferred construction, comprises rightand left-handed screw spindles mounted in said supporting arms and operable from a single member for simultaneously adjusting the rolls toward and from each other.

As illustrated, means is provided for pressing a piece of work against the movable work supporting member so that as the greater part of the weight of a piece of leather becomes disposed on one side of said work supporting member it will not be allowed to drop from the field of treatment until substantially all of the part of the work undergoing treatment is moved over the edge of the work supporting member. Conveniently this pressing means comprises a plurality of spring members supported stationarily in space and operative to press the work against the movable work supporting member.

Means is conveniently provided to facilitate the placing of the work upon the work supporting member by mechanically reversing the position of the work after one portion of the work has been treated, it being understood that in performing graining operations upon leather in the illustrated machine approximately one-half of the piece of work is treated at a time. The means referred to comprises, in the illustrated machine, a receptacle positioned below the work supporting and presenting member so as to receive the piece of work as it falls from the work supporting member at the end of a treating operation on the first half of the work piece, the receptacle being pivotally mounted at or near its median transverse axis so that it may be readily rotated about said axis through whereby the piece of work is reversed and thus in a position to be repositioned upon the work supporting member for treatment of the remaining half of t 1e work piece by merely lifting it from said receptacle.

For resurfacing the rotary work treating members there is conveniently provided a tool which may be introduced upon a support located in a plane between said members, the tool being positioned for operation after the members have been adjusted to permit of the introduction of the tool. Subsequently the work treating members are adjusted to contact with the tool which is provided with an abrasive surface (for example, a cutting or grinding surface) on each side thereof arranged tangentially to the cylindrical surface of the adjacent rotary member so that as said members are rotated, as in a boarding operation, the surfaces thereof are dressed to remove foreign substances or inequalities due to uneven wearing of the surfaces.

These and other important features of the invention and novel combinations of parts will now be described in detail in the specification and then pointed out more particularly in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a machine illustrating one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine of Fig. 1 looking from the right in said figure;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along a vertical plane extending from front to rear of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing, in operative position, a tool for resurfacing the boarding rolls;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the resurfacing tool in place on the work supporting table;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional View of the boarding rolls shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. '7 is a view in front elevation of a machine illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation, partly in section, looking-from the right in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the supporting arms for the boarding rolls;

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view through the boarding rolls showing a piece of work undcrgoing treatment; and

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 but showing a resurfacing tool in operative position between the boarding rolls.

In the illustrated machine, which is specially designed for boarding operations upon tanned hides, skins, and pieces of leather, there is provided a work supporting member 8 (Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive) constructed and arranged to present a piece of work to a pair of boarding rolls I0 and I2 and to hold the work during the boarding operation. As will be hereinafter more particularly described, the rolls It and I2 are power driven in the same direction and at the same speed so that the upper roll l0 may engage a portion of the piece of work resting upon the upper surface of the work support 8 while the lower roll l2 engages a portion of the work below the work presenting edge of the work support, the upper roll operating to move the piece of work toward said edge of the work support while the lower roll is operative to move the adjacent portion of the piece of work away from said edge along the lower surface of the work support whereby the pieceof work is carried around said edge of the work support, thereby causing graining and softening effects in the piece of leather undergoing treatment.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention (Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive), the boarding rolls l0 and I2 each comprise a plurality of segmental boarding members indicated by reference character i4. These segmental members are equidistantly spaced about the circumference of each roll and since all of the segmental members are constructed alike a description of one will suffice for all. As shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and 6, the segmental member it comprises a strip of wood is flexible lengthwise thereof and carrying upon its outer surface a layer of cork 38, the latter serving as a work engaging member having a frictional surface by which a piece of work is drawn over a work support or over another portion of the same piece of work. For holding the wooden strips it on a shaft 2! which constitutes part of the roll supporting and operating means, there is provided at each end of the strip 18, in the upper roll Iii, a member 22 having a hub portion 24 slidable on the shaft 28. In the illustrated construction the member 22 isroughly triangular in shape since it is adapted to support three segmental members it arranged equidistantly about the shaft 20. Secured to the adjacent end of the wooden strip I6 is a metal plate 26 rigidly secured to the strip i6 and having an opening therethrough to provide for a bolt 28 having a head portion to engage the plate 26 and a shank portion adapted to be tapped into the member 22. At the middle of the roll it there is provided. a strip supportng member 36 secured to the strips iii in a manner exactly like that described in connection with the members 22 the only difference being that the member 30 is fixedly secured (as by set screw 3!) tothe shaft 28 and is considerably larger than the members 2 whereby the roll I!) is of a substantially greater diameter in its middle portion than at its ends. In other words, the roll 56 is tapered toward each end. In order to have a cylindrical portion in the middle art of the roll' I B, there is provided a pair of members 32 and 34 of the same size as the member 39. These serve as backing members for the strips iii and hence the strips 56 are supported at a uniform distance from the shaft 20 throughout the middle part of the roll, said middle part being cylindrical and of a length predetermined by the positions of the members 32 and 34. It is an importantfeature of the invention that the length of the cylindrical portion of the roll It may be varied to suit pieces of work varying substantially in size. Hence, the members 32 and. 3 1 are mounted for adjustment lengthwise of the shaft 28. For this purpose the shaft 20 is provided with keyways 35. and a fastening mem" her is provided in the members 32 and 3G in a position accessible to the operator so that the members 32, 34 may be adjusted and then secured in adjusted position through proper manipulation of the securing means shown as set screws 38. The roll it? is made with a central cylindrical portion and with tapered ends in order thatthe heavier and firmer middle portions of a hide or skin, that is, those portions lying along each side of the backbone line, may be subjected to greater pressure during a boarding operation than the thinner and looser-textured portions found in the skirts or marginal parts of each hide or skin. Since hides and skins differ very considerably in size and, therefore, in the dimensions of the heavier and dens-er portions along each side of the backbone line, it is advantageous to be able to change the length of the cylindrical portion of the roll it! as above described.

The other roll i2 is, as stated above, made up of segmental members 14 comprising strips of wood 56 and a cork layer #8, the wooden strips l6 being secured to a shaft 48 (Fig. 6) by means of a plurality of supporting members 42 all of the same size since the roll [2 is of the same diam:

eter throughout. The strip supporting members 42 are roughly triangular in shape as shown in Fig. 3 and are secured to the strips It by means of plates 44 similar to plates 26in roll It by means oted upon a shaft 52 supported at its end in the end frames 54 of the machine frame. The pivoted arms 55 have extensions located rearwardly of the supporting shaft 52 to each of which is pivoted at 56 a rod 58 having rigidly secured thereto adjacent to its lower end a collar 60 adapted to support a plurality of. slotted (therefore removable) weights 62, the combined Weight of the weights 62 being designed to counterbalance the weight of the roll- It. At its lower end the rod 58 is pivoted at 64 to a bell crank lever 65 whichwill later be more specifically described. Also connected to the rear portion of each roll supporting arm is a spring 68 secured to the arm 5Q by means of a screw threaded member "36 and arranged to rest upon a disk or plate l2 supported at the upper end of an adjustable post Hi carried by the machine frame. The purpose of the springs 68 is to press the boarding roll H3 yieldingly in a direction toward a piece of work on the work supporting table 8 so that while the roll It is in contact with a piece of work it may yield to accommodate variations in the thickness of the work undergoing treatment. In order that the boarding roll it! may not be allowed to contact with the bare work support there is provided in a bearing 16 (Fig. 2) at the forward end of the supporting arm 59 an adjustable stop member '58, the lower end of which contacts with a fixed stop'tfl carried by a bracket fixed to the machine frame, the arrangement being such that the boarding roll 19 may be spaced at a minimum distance with respect to the work support 8 to operate upon relatively thin pieces or" work while pei mitting adjustment of the roll i8 away from the.

work support 8 by proper manipulation of the member 18 so that thicker pieces of work may not be subjected to unusual pressure during treatotally mounted upon a shaft 84 carried by the end pieces 54 of the machine frame, the supporting arms 82 being constructed to furnish at their front ends journal bearings for the corresponding ends of the shaft ii) of the roll 12. As shown, the supporting arms 82 are held yieldingly in operative position by means of springs 85, one under each arm 82, each spring 86 being supported by a disk or plate 88 at the upperend of an adjustable post 9? carried by brackets on the end frame pieces 55. By proper manipulation of the adjustable posts 36, the supporting arms 82 (and perforce the lower boarding roll l2) are pressed upwardly with the requisite tension in the springs 86. To limit the upward movement of the lower boarding roll :2 there is provided at the forward ends of the supporting arms 82 threaded sleeves 92 in which are mounted adjustable stop members 94 the upper ends of which contact with the under surfaces of the stationarystops 80. It follows that upon proper manipulation of the adjustable stop members ed the position of the lower roll I2 with respect to the work support 8 may be accurately predetermined in a manner and for a purpose similar to that described in relation to the upper roll Ill.

The power means already referred to for driving the boarding rolls IE9 and I2 comprises, in the-illustrated construction, a shaft I06 (Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive) journaled in bearings provided by the end frame pieces 54. At the left-hand end in Fig. 1, the shaft 586 carries fast and loose pulleys IE2, lo l adapted to be driven by a belt I05 2) coming from any suitable source of power. At its other end the shaft I66 has secured thereto pinion E98 (Fig. 2) arranged to be constantly in mesh'with a large gear IID rotatable on a stub shaft II2 to which is secured a pinion I I4 arranged to be constantly in mesh with a gear I56 rotatable on the shaft 52 and with a second gear i I8 on the shaft 84. Gear I iii meshes in turn with a gear 52E fixedly secured to the end of the shaft 26 of the upper boarding roll I while the gear I I3 is arranged to be constantly in mesh with a gear I22 fixedly carried by the shaft 46 of the lower boarding roll I2. It will be clear from this description that the upper and lower boarding rolls I9 and I2 are driven always in the same direction and at the same speed and that, by mounting the intermediate gears I I6, IIEI upon the shafts 52 and 84, respectively (which serve as pivots for the supporting arms 5%. and 82, respectively, of therolls i9 and I2), the gears remain in mesh no matter what the adjustment of the rolls I0 and I2 may be.

Preferably and as shown, the work support 8 is provided with a relatively thin extension I24 (Fig. 3) for presenting a folded portion of a piece of work in position between the boarding rolls l9 and I2. This work-presenting extension of the work support or table 3 is made relatively thin so that the substance of apiece of work will be bent relatively sharply in going around the edge of the work presenting extension I20 under the co-operative action of the boarding rolls I0 and :2. Since the member I24 is,'as stated, relatively thin, it is conveniently made of a metal and in any case is subject to wear so that means is provided for adjusting the member I24 to make up for the wear along the operative edge thereof. In the illustrated construction, this adjustment is accomplished by adjusting the work support 8 upon its supporting armsIZZS. For @1715 purpose the work support 8 has secured thereto a metal plate I26 adapted to be secured to a flat-topped portion I38 on each of the arms 525 by means of a bolt I32. The bolt I32 holds the plate 528, and the table 8 secured thereto, against displacement but not against adjustment upon the fiat-topped portion I3i adjustment being secured by proper manipulation of a screw threaded member 134 carrying a hand wheel I35. As shown, the screwthreaded member I34 passes through a flange I33 extending downwardly from the metal plate I28 and into a threaded sleeve I48 on the arm I25, the arrangement being such that the work support 8 may be adjusted for, the purpose stated above. Adjustment of the work support 8 and of the extension I24 may advantageously be made to take care of classes of work of various thicknesses. If desired the operative edge of the table extension I24 may be made slightly convex from end toend, this arrangement having the effect of sub jecting the middle portion of the piece of work to greater pressure than that accorded the marginal portions of the work during a boarding operation.

Means is provided for holding a piece of work against displacement while it is being moved over the table or work support 8 and around the operative edge of the table extension I24, the said holding means being also operative to prevent the piece of work from dropping from the work support as it would otherwise be very likely to do when the greater part of the piece of work has passed over the edge of the work support member I24, it being clear that in the latter case the weight of the piece of work suspended below the table or work support 8 is sufiicient in itself to displace the work from the table if no means were provided to prevent such displacement. The said work holding means is shown in the illustrated construction as comprising a plurality of spring fingers I56 (Figs. 1 and 3) carried by a bar I52 rigidly supported at its end upon brackets I53 carried by the end frame members 54. The spring fingers I55 are curved downwardly and rearwardly from the supporting bar I52 so that the free end portions thereof rest upon a piece of work passing over the table ex-- tension I524 to press the work with a yielding pressure upon the said table extension and thereby prevent displacement until the last portion of the piece of work is engaged by the segmental boarding members I4 on the rolls It and I2.

Power means is provided in the illustrated construction for moving the table or work support 8 between work receiving and work presenting positions, and the upper boarding roll IE3 between operative and inoperative positions. Power is transmitted from the driven shaft ms (Figs. 1 and 2) by means of a pulley I69 fixed on said shaft, a belt I62 being arranged to be driven by the pulley I60 to cause rotation of a pulley I64 on a shaft I66 mounted in bearings provided in the end frame pieces 54. Also mounted upon the shaft I66 is a brake wheel I68 enclosed by a brake band I'II]. Means is provided for simultaneously slackening the brake band I18 and tightening the belt I 52 to cause rotation of the shaft I66, the said means comprising a member I12 having a connection with the brake band H8 and with the belt I62 and operable by means of a chain I83 secured at its upper end to an arm I82 carried by a block I84 at the end of a shaft I86, the said shaft being carried by bearings I88 at the upper ends of the end frames 54. Secured to the shaft I66 by arms I90 is a hand rod I92 projecting forwardly over the machine where it may be readily reached by the operator to initiate and terminate operations of the machine. Upon depressing the hand rod I92 when the machine is in the position shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the shaft I66 is caused to make a one-half revolution at which point it is locked by means provided for the purpose. This means may take the form of a stop wheel and locking member such as are shown in United States Letters Patent No. 873,790, granted December 17, 1967 upon application of J. Rood and F. J. Ferkins. The stop mechanism shown herein operates in a manner very similar to that of the patent. ever, the special stop mechanism, including a stop wheel 25 mounted on a short countersha-ft 263, is not claimed herein, it is not considered necessary to describe it. At the end of the first half rotation of the shaft I66 referred to above,

Since, howthe work support 8 will be found in work receiving position in which it is spaced a considerable distance from the boarding rolls III and I2 so that a piece of work may be readily introduced over the edge of the work presenting extension I24. This is because the arms I 26 which support the table 8 are pivoted upon a shaft 255 located in a vertical plane rearward of the table and supported at its ends in the end frame pieces 54. Extending rearwardly from the shaft 258 are portions of the arms I each of which car. ries a roll 202 (Fig. 3) in contact with an eccentric 204 secured to the shaft I66. Upon reference to Fig. 3 it will readily be understood that following a half rotation of the shaft I55 the eccentrics 204 will have their low parts in contact with the rolls 202 so that the said rolls 292 will be in close juxtaposition tov the shaft I55 and the table 8 will be spaced a considerable distance from the boarding rolls I0 and I2. At the same time that the eccentrics 254 thus change position, cam members 205 secured to the shaft E55 are also rotated through 180 and operate to lift rolls 228 each carried by one arm 2I0 of the bell crank lever 66. Lifting of the arms 2) of levers 55 causes depression of another arm of the bell crank levers 66 to which the rods 58 are pivoted. Downward movement of rods 58 re sults in pivotal movement of. the carrying arms 50 in a direction to lift the upper boarding roll I0 away from the plane defined by the work presenting extension I24 when the latter is in work presenting position. A second operation of thephand rod I92 will result in a second half revolution of the shaft I66 during which the work support table 8 is swung upwardly to its operative position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,

the upper boarding roll I0 being returned to its operative position through the action of the springs 58 while the table is returned through the pressure of the eccentrics 254 upon the rolls 252 carried by the table supporting arms I26.

Means is conveniently provided for enabling the operator to interrupt boarding operations at any point in the treatment of the work, if, for instance, it becomes desirable to adjust the work or to smooth out a fold therein. For this purpose there is provided a treadle 2 I2 secured to treadle arms 2M pivoted upon the shaft 220, the treadle arms 2I4 having extensions 216 to which are pivoted rods 2 I8, the other end of each rod being pivoted at 220 to another arm of the bell crank lever 65. It will be clear from an inspection of Fig. 3 that the treadle 2I2 may be depressed at any time in the operation of the machine and that, when so depressed, it will cause lifting of the upper boarding roll I5 away from the work supporting extension I24. In this way also the pressure of the boarding operation may be varied with respect to different portions of the work in accordance with the judgment of the operator. Since depression of the treadle M2 to lift the boarding roll Iii effects compression of springs 68, it is clear that release of the treadle 2i 2 is followed by return of the boarding roll I0 to ,operative position by expansion of the springs 68 following the described compression thereof.

Upon inspection of Figs. 4 and 5 it will be observed that a resurfacing tool 230 is supported for longitudinal sliding movement along the work table extension I24, a slot 232 being provided in the body of the tool 230 for engagement with a guiding bar 234 which may be temporarily secured to the table 8. Conveniently, the tool 230 comprises a plate 235 adapted to rest upon the upper surface of the table extension I24, this plate 236 carrying a resurfacing plate 238, the operative surface of which is abrasive in character through the provision of either a file-like surface or a surface provided with cutting edges as indicated in 1 Fig, 5. The tool 238 is also provided with a plate 240 spaced with respect to the plate 236 to embrace the table extension I24, the plate 240 carrying an abrasive plate 242 similar to the abrasive plate 238 and adapted to engage the lower boarding roll I2 while the plate 238 engages the upper boarding roll [0. It will be clear thatv after the tool 235 has been introduced between the boarding rolls I5 and I2 it, the tool, may be moved lengthwise of the table 8 and of the rod 234 during rotation of the boarding rolls I5 and I2. In this way the boarding rolls I0 and I2 during-rotation thereof have their surfaces resurfaced and cleaned through the action of the abrasive plates 238 and 222. At the end of the resurfacing operation the tool 235 is removed and the rolls are adjusted back'to their former operative positions;

In the other species of the invention shown in Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive, the pieces of work are presented to boarding rolls 255, 252 by means of a work supporting member 254 whichis movable in a vertical direction to introduce a fold in the piece of work between the rolls 250, 252. Uponv reference to Figs. 7 and 10, it will be observed that apiece of leather 256 is suspended by having a middle portion thereof placed over the relatively narrow work-presenting edge 253 of the work support 254. After the work support 254 is moved in an upward direction to its work-presenting position with respect to the rolls 255, 252, the piece of work will be moved over the edge 258 of the work support through upward movement of a segmental boarding member 260 of the roll 250 and the simultaneous downward movement of the segmental boarding member 262 of the roll 252, as most clearly indicated in Fig. 10 of the drawings. In the rotation of the rolls 250, 252 the segmental boarding members 250, 262 will operate upon the work for a predetermined period and then release it so that the work may become adjusted through the action of gravity to correct any tendency of a fold or tuck to be drawn into the field of boarding operations. An instant later,

however, the segmental member 254' (Fig. 10) of the roll 250 and thesegmental member 266 of roll 252 come into cooperative relation with respect to the piece of work, the segmental member 264 moving in an upward direction and the segmental member 255 in a downward direction to carry the fold'in the piece of work over the edge 258 of the work support. Thus the piece of work is alternately operated upon and released by the segmental boarding members of the rolls.

In the repeated operations upon the piece of work 256 the work is intermittently shifted in such manner that the left-hand portion in Fig. 10. becomes smaller and smaller, with the lower marginal portion thereof approaching the upper edge 258 of the work support'254, while the right hand portion in the same figure becomes correspondingly larger and heavier so that there is a distinct tendency for the piece of work to slip comprises a series of spring fingers 268 (Figs. 7, 8, 10 and 11) supported by a bar 210 extending across the front of the machine and carried by brackets 212 (Figs. '7 and 8) attached fixedly to the frame of the machine. When the piece of work 25% drops from the work support 254 at the end of treating operations upon approximately one-half of its area, it is subsequently replaced upon the work support 252 with the untreated portion nearer to the front ofthe machine so that said untreated portion may be caused to travel over the edge 2580f the work support through the co-operative action of the rolls 250, 252, thus completing the treatment of that piece of work.

While the work support 254 might be raised and lowered by a foot treadle or other manually operable means, there is preferablyv provided power means under the control of the operator for lifting the work support to work presenting position and for looking it in such position. Upon reference to Figs. 7 and 8, it will be observed that the work support 254 is supported at its ends by blocks 282 having downward projections 282 each receivable in a groove or guideway 234 (Fig. 7) in the upper ends of supporting rods 286 slidably mounted in posts 288. To provide for adjustment of the work support 254 in an upward direction upon its supporting rods 286, as such adjustment becomes necessary due to wearing away of the work presenting edge 258, or to differences in the classes of work presented for treatment, there is provided an adjusting memher 290 upon each supporting rod 286. The adjusting member 290 is interiorly screw-threaded for engagement with a screw-threaded portion 292 ofthe supporting rod 286. lhe adjusting member 298 is conveniently held in adjusted position by having the lower end of the projection 282 receivable in one of several notches 294 in the upper face of said member 235. To effect adjustment of the member 29G it is necessary only to lift the adjacent end of the work support 254 until the projection 282 is freed from the notch 294 in which it was seated, whereupon the member 296 may be rotated to a new position and locked in such position by reseating the lower end of the projection 282 in a selected one of the notches 294. Each supporting rod 282 is seated at its lower end in ashallow socket 296 (Figs. '7 and 8) at the forward end of a lever 298 pivoted at 36!) upon the frame of the machine. At the other end of each lever 298 there is provided a roll 302 arranged to be engaged by an eccentric 3M fixedly secured to a shaft 386 so that, upon rotation of the shaft 306 by power means provided for the purpose, the eccentrics 304 operate upon the levers 298 through the rolls 302 to lift the forward ends of the levers 298 whereby the work support 254 is lifted to work presenting position upon rotation of the eccentrics 304 through the work support being locked in its raised'work presenting position by reason of the eccentrics 39 1" coming to rest at the end of the said half revolution of the shaft 306. For applying power to the shaft 306 there is provided a stub shaft (not shown) upon which is mounted a sprocket wheel 308 arranged to be driven continuously by a chain 3H9 which passes around a sprocket (not shown) on a shaft 3l2 driven by a gear 3 M which derives its rotation from a gear 408 hereinafter described. Power is intermittently transmitted from the sprocket wheel 308 to the shaft 366 by means of a clutch member 3| Shaving connections with a treadle lever 3l8 (Figs. '7 and 8), the construction and arrangement being such that, upon a depression of the treadle 3l8 the clutch 316 will be thrown into operation to cause rotation of the shaft 366 through one-half of a revolution where it is locked by a well-known arrangement of a stop wheel and locking. member such as shown in the above-mentioned United States Letters Patent No. 873,790. Since the special means for securing intermittent rotation of the shaft 366 and locking of said shaft at the end of each half rotation forms no part of my invention, it is not considered necessary to illustrate or describe it. After a piece of work such as the skin 256 has been placed in position upon the work support 254 (Fig. 7), depression of the treadle 3l8 will be followed by upward movement of the work support 254 to work presenting position shown most clearly in Fig. 10, in which position it is locked by the means already referred to. After substantially one-half of the piece of work 256 has been operated upon, the work support 254 is caused to return to its lower work receiving position by a second depression of the treadle 318.

The boarding rolls 25B, 252 in this species of the invention have their shafts 338, 332, respectively, mounted at their ends in pivoted supporting arms 334 and 336, respectively (Fig. 9), the

supporting arms being pivotally mounted upon shafts 338, 329, respectively, said shafts being supported in the frame of the machine. At their upper ends the supporting arms 334, 335 are connected together in pairs by rods 3 32, one rod to each pair of arms, the rod 362 having collars 3:14 and 346 (Fig. 9) seated in concavities in the upper ends of said arms. As shown, the rod 3 2 and collars 342 and 3% are held in co-operative relation with respect to the arms 334, 338 by means of a spring 328 the tension of which is adjustable through a hand wheel 35%] screwthreaded upon the free end of the rod 342. This spring 353 keeps the upper ends of the supporting arms 336, 338 yieldingly drawn toward each other so that the rolls 259, 252 at the lower ends 1 roll 252 is adjusted toward or from the work support 25 through proper manipulation of a set screw 352 (Fig. 9) rotatably mounted in the upper end of the supporting arm 336, the screw 352 being arranged to contact with a stop rigid with the frame of the machine. set screw 352 in contact with the stop 354 it is clear that the roll 352 is held against movement away from the plane of the work support. Similarly the roll 25!? is adjusted toward and from the plane of the work support by means of a set screw 35$ rotatably carried by the upper end of an arm 334 and arranged to engage with the same stop 354. As shown, the said screw 356 is provided with a sprocket wheel 358 arranged to be engaged by a chain 369 which also passes around another sprocket wheel 358 (Fig. 7) associated with the pair of supporting arms 334, 336 at the other ends of the rolls 258, 252, it being understood that the description as to the mounting and adjustment of the supporting arms 334, 336

applies equally to both sets of supporting arms at opposite ends of the rolls 256, 252. The lower run of the chain 365 passes partially round a wheel 36! (Fig. 7), dips under a sprocket (not shown) on shaft 363 of hand wheel 364 and then With the passes over wheel 366 so that, upon rotating the hand wheel 3G4 in one direction, both wheels 3854, 365 will be turned in the opposite direction, the chain 36% causing and partaking of such movement. The arrangement is such that the sprocket wheels and, perforce, the set screws 356, will be adjusted simultaneously to the same extent and in the same direction, thus insuring that both ends of the roll act will be moved equidistantly toward or from the plane of the work support It will be clear from the above description that the rolls 2%, 252 do not yield away from the work.

Preferably and as shown, the work treating surfaces of the rolls see, 252 are so constructed and arrange to yield with respect to the work to accommodate variations in the thickness thereof. Referring to Fig. 10, it will be observed that the segmental work treating members 2653, 2E2, 255, 25% comprise wooden strips 3H) each faced with a layer of material having a frictional surface. While the material may consist of rubber orrubberized fabric or other similar substance, it is shown in the illustrated machine as a layer of cork 372. The mounting for the four segmental members will now be described with reference to only one of them, it being understood that the description applies equally well to each of the others. In that speciesof the invention disclosed in Fig. 10, the strip Sid is backed by a plurality of springs one of which is shown at seated between a metal plate 3%, which serves as a backing for the strip 316, and a cupped boss SE8 on a hub 38E secured to the shaft 338 (or 332). Conveniently, and as shown, the backing plate 319 is provided with flanges 382 which en gage with corresponding flanges 38 on side plates 386 fixedly carried by projections 38? from the hub member 389. It will be clear from the description given above that the strip 37!) with its frictional member 372 may yield inwardly toward the shaf t 333 to accommodate differences in thickness of the work presented upon the work support 255.

In another species of the invention shown in Fig. 11, the strips 3m with their frictional coverings 3% are backed by pneumatic tubes 390 having the same function as the springs Bi l of the species disclosed in Fig. 10. The pneumatic tubes 39% may be inflated by means of an air pump since each is provided with a back pressure valve, very much in the same way as an automobile tire is inflated. Otherwise the mounting of the strips S'iii in Fig. ll for the purpose of adjustment to the work is the same as that described in connection with the sprin mounting of these strips.

With reference to Figs. 10 and 11, it will be observed that the rear roll 252 is of larger diameter than the front roll 25 the purpose being to hold the piece of work in contact with the upper work presenting edge 258 of the work support 254. For certain classes of work the graining and softening effects are more efliciently accomplished when the roll 252 is larger than the other 253. It is to be understood, however, that in certain cases it may be desirable to have the rolls of the same diameter. It will be noted, furthermore, upon inspection of Fig. 7, that the roll 255! has a middle cylindrical portion and is tapered at each end, the purpose being to operate at a greater pressure upon the middle portions of a piece of work such as the skin 255 and with a lighter pressure upon the marginal or skirt portions of the skin where the leather is thinner and of a looser texture.

Power means is provided for driving the rolls 25B, 252 in the same direction and at the same speed, the said means comprising in the illustrated construction, ashort shaft 392 (Figs. 7 and 8) upon which are mounted fast and loose pulleys 39 i, 3%, the former arranged to be driven by a belt (not shown) extending from any suitable source of power. At the other end the shaft 3&2 carries a gear 3G8 in mesh with a gear 43% upon shaft Hi2 which carries fixedly secured thereto a pinion 49 arranged in mesh with two gears 396, 3&3 rotatable upon the shafts 338 and 34%, respectively. It will be observed that the gears 285, 593 in being mounted on the shafts 338 and' lil, respectively, are so mounted as to bear a fixed relation to gears lit), M2, respectively, fixed on the shafts 33b and 332 of the rolls 25B and 252. As will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 8 the rolls 25:3, 252 are rotated at the sale speed and in the same direction.

For resurfacing the frictional surfaces of the cork layers 312 of the rolls 255, 252 there is provided a tool il i (Fig. 11), the said tool comprising two plates 45%, M8, the roughened surface of plate M6 being constructed to operate upon surfaces moving in an upward direction thereby, while the plate ii-l8 is provided with an abrasive or cutting surface which faces upwardly to operate upon the roll 252 passing downwardly thereby. Where the cutting surfaces on the plates ME and 653 are provided by projecting ribs or blades they face upwardly in the case of plate 453 and downwardly in the case of plate M6. The tool did is carried by a block 526 slidable upon a guide member the arrangement being such that the block 523 and the tool tit carried thereby are adjustable lengthwise of the rolls 25%, The tool sill with its plates M6, 458 may be of a length in g-l the direction of the longitudinal axes of the rolls to resurface the entire cylindrical portion of these rolls or itmay be much shorter, in which case it must be adjusted in positionto operate upon a portion only of the cylindrical surface of the rolls and subsequently readjusted to operate upon another portion of the rolls. After a resurfacing operation the tool Md is moved beyond the cylindrical portion of roll 25% or is removed from the machine and the rolls 258, 252 readjusted with respect to the piece of work supported by and presented by the work support 254.

Conveniently means is provided for receiving a piece of work such as that shown at 256 when it drops from the work support 25 3, the said means being also operable to reverse the position of the work. As has been stated above, the piece of work 255, after being introduced for the first time into the machine, is treated as it moves rearwardly from the front of the machine, substantially one-half of the piece of work being treated before the work drops-from the work support 255 In order to reposition the work in such manner as to operate upon the untreated portion, it must be reversed by the operator unless suitable means for accomplishing the reversing operation is provided in the machine. In'the illustrated construction the work receiving and reversing means comprises a receptacle 425i (Figs. 7 and 8) pivotally supported at a point in its median, transverse dimension by a post 626, the arrangement being such that the receptacle 524 may be rotated upon its pivot through 180 whereby a piece of work 256 is reversed and may then be simply lifted by the operator and thrown over the work support 254. Preferably, means (not shown) is provided for latching the receptacle 25 in the position shown wherein it extends in a direction parallel to the plane of the work support.

In operating with the boarding machine shown in l to 6, inclusive, of the accompanying drawings a piece of work, such as a tanned skin, is placed over the work support 8 and the work extension 526, about one-half or" the skin resting on the table while the other, half hangs suspendcd from the edge of the extension i124. Upon starting the machine through manipulation of the hand rod it?! the work support moves into the position shown in Figs. 2, and 3, thus positioning the work for engagement by the boarding rolls if; and it. Substantially at the instant that the work support and extension ltd reach operating position the upper boarding roll Ii) is lowered to operating position. Since both rolls are turning in the same direction, a segment on the upper roll it will engage with the work closely adjacent to the edge of the work support extension i24 at the same time that a segment on the lower roll i2 engages the work just below, and closely adjacent to, the same edge ofthe work support extension E22, the result being that a fold in the work is moved over the edge of the work support extension, thus effecting a graining and a softening of the leather. Since the segments on the rolls IE! and E? are spaced with respect to each other, the work will be intermittently operated upon and reieased. During the period of release the operator may adjust the work or may remove, by slight tension on the work, any fold or tuck in the leather which, if permitted to enter between the boarding rolls, would be set in the finished surface as a crease or other imperfection. If, at any instant, a fold in the work threatens to move into the field of operations, the boarding operation may be instantly suspended by the operator depressing the treadle Hi2. After substantially one-half of the work has been operated upon the piece of work is reinserted with the untreated portion resting upon the table 8 and the table extension In operating with the machine shown in Figs. 7 to 11, inclusive, a piece of work is thrown over the work support 25 5 and the machine started by tripping the treadle 3G8, following which the work support is lifted upwardly and locked with a piece of work positioned between the boarding rolls 2572. As shown in Fig. each boarding roll comprises ;wo segmental members spaced from other on opposite sides of the roll and the rotation of the rolls is so timed that two segmental members, one on each roll, engage with the work along lines closely adjacent to the edge 258 of the work support moving a fold in the work over said edge to effect a graining softening operation. As soon as the two co-operating segments have passed by'the work in the rotation of the rolls 3', 252, the work is released so that it may adjust itsel. by gravity to efface any fold or tuck which might otherwise enter into the field of operations if the boarding operation were too long continued. Shortly after this release of the work, the other two segmental boarding members on rolls 259, 252 come into co-operative relation with respect to the work and the boarding operation is repeated until substantially one-half of the piece of work has been treated. After the work drops from the work support 254 it is reversed by turning the receptacle 424. Then the work may be placed again upon the work support 254 (which in the meantime has been lowered to work receiving position by tripping the treadle 318) simply by lifting it up and throwing it over the upper edge of said support, the repositioned piece of work having the untreated portion nearer to the operator at the front of the machine. Upon depressing the treadle 358 the machine is again started into operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a boarding machine, a roll having a plurality of spaced boarding surfaces, a member arranged in close juxtaposition to said roll for cooperation therewith in boarding operations and a work support arranged to support a piece of work for treatment by said roll and co-operating boarding member.

2. In a boarding machine, a roll having a plurality of spaced boarding surfaces to engage and operate intermittently upon a piece of work, a member arranged in close juxtaposition to said roll for co-operation therewith in boarding operations, and a work support arranged to support a pi cc of work for treatment by said roll and c0- opei ating boarding member.

3. In a boarding machine, a roll having a plurality of spaced boarding surfaces, a member arranged in close juxtaposition to said roll for cooperation therewith in boarding operations, and a movable work support having an edge portion over which the work is placed, said edge portion beingarranged to introduce the work for a boarding operation.

4. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, one of the rolls having a plurality of spaced boarding surfaces, said rolls being arranged in close juxtaposition to each other and driven in the same direction, and a work support arranged to support a piece of leather to be operated upon by said rolls.

5. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, one of the rolls having a plurality of spaced boarding surfaces, 2. work support having an edge portion, said rolls being arranged closely spaced with their axes in a plane extending at a right angle to the plane of the work support, and said work support and rolls being relatively movable in a direction to cause said edge portion to introduce a piece of work between said rolls, and means for driving the rolls in the same (1' action whereby the piece of work is caused to be fed over said edge portion of the work support.

In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, a work support having an edge portion over which a piece of work may be folded, said rolls being arranged closely spaced on opposite sides of the plane of said edge portion, one of said rolls being of larger diameter than the other and said work support and rolls being relatively movable in a direction to cause said edge portion to introduce a piece of work between said rolls, and means for driving the rolls in the same direction and at the same angular speed.

7. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, a work support having an edge portion over which a piece of work may be folded, one of the rolls having a plurality of spaced boarding surfaces, said rolls being arranged closely spaced on opposite sides of the plane of said edge portion of the work support, one of said rolls being of larger to prevent displacement of the leather when the diameter than the other and said work support and rolls being relatively movable in a direction to cause said edge portion to introduce 'a piece of work between said rolls, and means for driv-- ing the rolls in the same direction and at the same angular speed.

8. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, one of the rolls having a plurality of spaced boarding surfaces, said rolls being arranged closely spaced with their axes substantially in parallelism, and one of said rolls having a cylindrical portion and a tapered or conical portion, and a work support arranged to support a piece of work for treatment, by said rolls.

9. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls each having a convexly curved boarding surface, said rolls being arranged closely spaced with their axes substantially in parallelism, one of said rolls having a cylindrical portion and a tapered or conical portion, and a work support arranged to support a piece of work for treatmentby said rolls. 7

10. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, one of said rolls having oppositely disposed segmental boarding members, and fluid-actuated means for yieldingly holding the segmental members against a piece of work interposed between the co-operating rolls, said rolls being arranged in close juxtaposition to each other and driven in the same direction.

11. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, one of the rolls having oppositely disposed segmental boarding members, and a pneumatic member for yieldingly holding the segmental members against a piece of work interposed; between the co-opcrating rolls, said rolls being arranged in close juxtaposition to each other and driven in the same direction. a

12. In a machine for operating upon'hides, skins, leather, and other simflar pieces of work, a pair of rolls, each having oppositely disposed segmental work treating members, said rolls being arranged in close juxtaposition to each other and driven in the same direction, and a member arranged to introduce a piece of work between therolls.

13. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins,leather, and other similar pieces of work, a pair of rolls, one of said rolls being of larger diameter than the other, said rolls being arranged in close juxtaposition to each other and driven at the same angular speed and in the same direction, and a member arranged to introduce a piece of work between the rolls.

14. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, each having oppositely disposed segmental boarding members, said rolls being arranged in close juxtaposition to each other and driven in the same direction, and a work support arranged to in troduce a piece of leather between the rolls.

15. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, each having oppositely disposed segmental boarding members, one of said rolls being of larger diameter than the other, said rolls being arranged in close juxtaposition to each other and driven at the same angular speed and in the same direction, and a work support arranged to introduce a piece of leather between the rolls.

16. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, each having oppositely disposed segmental boarding members, said rolls being arranged in close juxtaposition to each other and driven in the same direction, a member arranged to introduce a piece of leather between the rolls, and means for pressing the piece of leather against said member latter is released by the rolls.

17.'In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, each having oppositely disposed segmental boarding members, said rolls being arranged in close juxtaposition to each other and driven in the same direction, a member arranged to introduce a piece of leather between the rolls, and a plurality of spring members for yieldingly pressing the piece of work against said member to prevent displacement of the work when the latter is released by the rolls.

18. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, each having a segmental boarding member, fluid-actuated means for yieldingly holding the segmental members against apiece of work interposed between them, said rolls being arranged in close juxtaposition to each other and driven in, the same direction, and a work support arranged to introduce the piece of work between the rolls. 7

19. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, each having oppositely disposed segmental boarding members. a pneumatic member for yieldingly holding the segmental members against a piece of work interposed between them, said rolls being arranged'in close juxtaposition to each other and driven in the same direction, and a work support arranged to introduce the piece of work between the rolls.

20. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, each having a convexly curved boarding surface, a shaft carrying each roll, a pair. of supporting arms for each shaft having journals for the ends thereof, shafts serving as pivotal supports for said pairs of arms, and means for driving said rolls comprising gears mountedon the last-mentioned shafts.

21. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, each having a convexly curved boarding surface, a shaft carrying each roll, a pair of supporting arms for each shaft having journals for the ends thereof, shafts serving as pivotal supports for said pairs of arms, and means for driving said rolls comprising gears mounted on the last-mentioned shafts, the roll-carrying ends of the supporting arms of one roll being simultaneously adjustable toward or from the corresponding ends of the arms of the other roll to accommodate the rolls to various thicknesses of work.

22. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, each having a convexly curved boarding surface, a shaft carrying each roll, a pair of supporting arms for each shaft having journals for the ends thereof, shafts serving as pivotal supports for said pairs of arms, means for driving said rolls comprising gears mounted on the last-mentioned shafts, and means comprising a rightand lefthanded screw spindle engaged in both supporting arms arranged to adjust the roll carrying ends of the supporting arms of one roll toward or from the corresponding ends of the arms of the other roll to accommodatethe rolls to various thicknesses of work.

23. In a boarding machine, a pair of rollseach having a convexly curved boarding surface, said rolls being arranged closely spaced with their axes in substantially the same horizontal plane, a work support having a work supporting edge portion and movable in a vertical direction to introduce a piece of work between said rolls, means for driving the rolls in the same direction whereby the piece of work is caused to be fed over said edge portion of the work support, and spring means arranged to engage the work to press the latter against the work support.

24. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls each having a convexly curved boarding surface, one of which is of a larger diameter than the other, said. rolls being arranged closely spaced with their axes in substantially the same horizontal plane, a work support having a Work supporting edge portion and movable in a verticaldirection to introduce a piece of work between said rolls, and means for driving the rolls in the same direction and at the same angular speed.

25. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls each having a convexly curved boarding surface, said rolls being arranged closely spaced with their axes in substantially the same horizontal plane, a work support having a work supporting edge portion and movable in a vertical direction to introduce a piece of work between said rolls, and means stationary in space for pressing the piece of work against the work support at points adjacent to said edge portion of the work support.

26. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls each having a convexly curved boarding'surface, said rolls being arranged closely. spaced with their axes in substantially the same horizontal plane, a work support having a work supporting edge portion and movable in a vertical direction to in troduce a piece of work between said rolls, and spring members supported stationarily in space and arranged to press the piece of work against the work support at points in a line closely adjacent to said edge portion of the work support.

27. In aboarding machine, a pair of rolls each having a convexly curved boarding surface, said rolls being arranged closely spaced with their axes in substantially the same horizontal plane, a work support having a work supporting edge portion and movable in a vertical direction to introduce a piece of work between said rolls, means for driving the rolls in the same direction whereby the piece of work is caused to be fed over said edge portion of the work support, and means for moving the work support in a vertical direction and for locking it with the piece of work introduced between said rolls.

28, In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls eachrolls being arranged closely spaced with their axes in substantially the same horizontal plane, a work support having a work supporting edge portion and movable in a vertical direction to introduce a piece of work between said rolls, means for driving the rolls in the same direction whereby the piece of work is caused to be fed over said edge portion of the work. support, supporting arms for the work support, the work support being adjustable on said arms, and power means to move the supporting arms and the work support vertically to introduce a piece of Work between said rolls, said last-mentioned means being operable also to lock the work support in work presenting position with respect to said rolls.

29. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a work support, means to treat a portion of the piece of work in position on the work support, said portion of the work being fed during treatment thereof to a position where the pieceof work finally drops from the work support, and means arranged to receive the piece of work from the work support and operable to reverse its position so that the piece of work may be placed in position upon the work support with the untreated portion position to receive treatment upon subsequent operation of the machine by skins, leather and other similar merely lifting the piece of work from said lastmentioned means.

30. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a work support, means to treat that portion of the piece of work in position adjacent to the front of the machine, said portion of the work being fed over the work support during treatment thereof to a position where the piece of work finally drops from the work support, and a receptacle arranged to receive the piece of work from the work support and operable to reverse its position so that the piece of work may be placed in position upon the work support with the untreated portion in position to receive treatment upon subsequent operation of the machine by merely lifting the piece'of work from said receptacle.

31. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a work support over which a piece of work may be suspended at substantially its median, transverse dimension, means to treat that portion of the piece of work facing toward the front of the machine, said work treating means being operable to feed said portion away from the front of the machine so that finally the piece of Work drops from the Work support, and a receptacle arranged to receive the piece of work from the work support and operable to reverse its position so that the piece of work may be placed in position upon the work support with the untreated portion in position to receive treatment upon subsequent operation of the machine by merely lifting the piece of work from said receptacle.

32,111 a machine for operating upon hides, ieces of Work, a Work support over which a piece of work may be suspended at substantially its median transverse'dimension, boarding rolls operative to treat that portion of the piece of work facing toward the front of the machine, said boarding rolls being operable to feed said portion away from the front of the machine so that finally the piece of work drops from the work support, and a re ceptacle arranged to receive the piece of work from the work support and operable to reverse its position so that the piece of work may be placed in position upon the work support with the untreated portion in position to receive treatmentupon subsequent operation of the machine by merely lifting the piece of work from said receptacle, said receptacle being pivotally mounted at a point in substantially its median transverse axis so that it may be rotatedthrough to accomplish the reversing of the position of the piece'cf work. v

33. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and similar pieces of work, a pair of rolls for engaging a piece of work, said rolls being rotatable in juxtaposition to each other, and a tool for treating said rolls arranged to be supported between the rolls substantially tangentially to the cylindrical surfaces of both rolls.

34. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and similar pieces of work, a pair of rolls for engaging a piece of work, said rolls being rotatable in close juxtaposition to each other, and a tool having abrasive surfaces on its opposite sides, each abrasive surface being arranged substantially tangentially to the cylindrical surface of the adjacent roll so that upon rotation of the rolls the abrasive surfaces of the tool operate to resurface said rolls.

35. In a machine for operating upon hides,

skins, leather and similar pieces of work, a pair of rolls for engaging a piece of work, said rolls being arranged in juxtaposition to each other and to rotate in the same direction, and a tool arranged to be interposed between the rolls substantially tangentially thereto and having cutting surfaces with the cutting edges of one surface facing in a direction opposite to that of the other edges so that as adjacent portions ofthe cylindrical surfaces of the rolls travel in opposite directions both are resurfaced by said cutting tool. e

36. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and similar pieces of work, a pair of rolls for treating a piece of work, said rolls being rotatable in juxtaposition to eachother and said rolls having surfaces subject to wear and to the collection of foreign substances, and a tool for resurfacing and cleaning said rolls arranged to be supported between the rolls with each operative surface of the tool substantially tangent to the cylindrical surface of the adjacent roll.

37. In a machine for operating upon hides,

skins, leather and similar pieces of work, a pair of rolls for treating a piece'of work, said rolls having cylindrical surfaces uniformly spaced from each other, and said surfaces being subject to wear and to the collection of foreign sub stances, and a tool having abrasive surfaces on opposite sides thereof and arranged with each abrasive surface substantially tangent to the cy-' lindrical surface of the adjacent roll so that upon rotation of the rolls the abrasive surfaces of the tool operate to resurface said rolls.

38. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and similar pieces of work, a pair of rolls for treating a piece of work, said rolls having'cylindrical surfaces uniformly spaced with respect to each other and said surfaces being subject to wear and to the collection of foreign substances, m ans arranged to rotate the rolls in the same direction, and a tool arranged to be interposed between the rolls substantially tangentially thereto and having cutting surfaces on opposite sides thereof with the cutting edges on one surface facing in a direction opposite to that of the other edges so that as adjacent portions of the cylindrical surfaces of the rolls travel in opposite directions both are resurfaced by said cutting tool. I

39. In a boarding machine, a pair of horizontal rolls arranged one above the other, each having a convexly curved boarding surface, means to rotate the rolls in timed relation to each other, said rolls being arranged closely spaced and driven in the same direction, a work support arranged to support a piece of work for treatment by said rolls, spring means arranged to press both rolls into yielding engagement with the work on the work support, and a manually operable member connected to the upper one of said rolls and. operable at any time during treatment :of the work to lift said upper roll against the spring means pressing thereagainst thereby toadjust the spacing of the rolls with respect to each other.

40. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a pair of rolls, one of which is mounted for movement toward and from the other and each having a convexly curved boarding surface, said rolls being arranged in close juxtaposition to each other and driven in the same direction, a movable member arranged to introduce a piece of work between the rolls, means arranged to move said. member between a work receiving and a work presenting position with respect to said rolls and simultaneously therewith to'effect movement of the movable roll away from and toward the other boarding roll in timed relation to the movements of the work supporting member, spring means pressing the movably mounted roll toward the other roll, and a manually operable member connected to the movably mounted roll and operable atiany time during treatment of the work to move the movably mounted roll against the pressure of said-spring means thereby to adjust thespacing of said rolls.

41. In am'achine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, apair of rolls, each having aconvexly curved boarding surface, said rolls being arranged in close juxtaposition to each other and driven in the same direction, a work support arranged to introduce a piece of work between the rolls, power means to move'the work support between a work receiving position and a work presenting position with respect to said rolls, and a treadle member arranged to control at will the spacing of one of the rolls with respect to said work support. a

42; In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, boarding members arranged'to cause a fold in a piece .of work to travel along a portion of said piece of work, power means to move one of said members relatively to the other and into a predetermined spaced r-elation thereto whereby the fold in the piece of work is subjected to a predetermined pressure, and a manually operable member-for changing at will the pressure upon said fold.

Y 43. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and othersimilar pieces of work, a boarding rollhaving a convexly curved boarding surface, a member arranged to co-operate with said roll in boarding operations, a work support arranged to introduce a fold in a piece of work between said roll and its co-operating boarding member, power means to cause relative approaching movement between said roll and its co-operating boarding member to exert a predetermined pressure upon the fold in the piece of work, and a manually operable member for changing at will the spacing between the roll and its .co-op-erating boarding member whereby the pressure of the folding" operation is constantly under the control of the operator.

7 44. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a pairof boarding rolls, said rolls being arranged in close juxtaposition to each other and driven in the same direction, a movablemember arranged to introduce a piece of work between the rolls, power means to move said-member between a work receiving position and a work presenting position with respect tosaid rolls, said powermeans being also operative to move one of said rolls between operative and inoperative positions with respect to the other roll, and a manually operable member connected' to the movable roll to vary its sp'acingwith respectto the other roll at any time in the treatment of the work and in accordance with the. judgment of the operator.

: 45. In a machine for operating upon hides,

skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a pair of rolls, said rolls being arranged in close juxtaposition to each other and driven in the same direction, and a member arranged to introduce a piece of work between the rolls, said member having an edge portion over which a fold in a piece of work is caused to travel by said rolls, and said edge portion being convexly curved lengthwise thereof, whereby the middle portion of the piece of work is introduced further between the rolls than the marginal portions thereof.

46. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather andother similar pieces of Work, a pair of rolls, each having a plurality of segmental work treating members, said rolls being arranged in close juxtaposition to each other and driven in the same direction, and a member arranged to introduce a piece of work between the rolls, said member having an edge portion over which a fold in the piece of work is caused to travel by the rolls, and said edge portion being convexly curved lengthwise thereof, whereby the middle portion of the piece of work is introduced further into the space between the rolls than the marginal portions of the same piece of work.

47. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, and a work support arranged to present a piece of work to said rolls for a boarding operation, one of the rolls having a plurality of laterally spaced boarding members extending longitudinally of the roll, and said members being arranged to provide a cylindrical portion and also a tapered or conical portion of the roll. I

48. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, a work support arranged to present a piece of work to said rolls for a boarding operation, one of the rolls having a plurality of laterally spaced boarding members extending longitudinally of the roll, and saidmembers being arranged to provide a cylindrical portion and also a tapered or conical portion of the roll, and means to change the lengths of the cylindrical and conical portions of the roll relatively to each other.

49. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, a work support arranged to present a piece of work between said rolls for a boarding operation, one of said rolls having an intermediate cylindrical portion and two tapered or conical end portions, and said tapering roll having boarding members extending longitudinally of the roll to form the cylindrical and conical portions of the roll, and

members arranged to support said longitudinally extending boarding members, some of said supporting members being adjustable in directions lengthwise of the roll to vary the lengths of the cylindrical and conical portions relatively to each other.

50. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, a work support arranged to present a piece of work between the rolls for a boarding, operation, one of the rolls having an intermediate cylindrical portion and two conical end portions, boarding members extending longitudinally of the conicallyended roll and each having a frictional surface to serve as a boarding member, a shaft at the axis of rotation of the conically ended roll, members carried by said shaft to support said longitudinally extending members in the cylindrical portion of the roll, andother members carried by the shaft to supportthe ends of said longitudinally extending members to provide said conical portions of the roll, said-end supporting members being adjustable on the shaft to vary the conical portions of the roll.

51. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, a work support arranged to present a piece of work between the rolls for a boarding operation, one of the rolls having an intermediate cylindrical portion and two conical or tapered end portions, boarding members extending longitudinally of the tapered roll and each having a frictional surface to serve as a boarding member, a shaft at the axis of rotation of the tapered roll, members carried by said shaft to support said longitudinally extending members in the cylindrical portion of the roll, and other members carried by the shaft to support the ends of said longitudinally extending members to provide said conical portions of the roll, the first-mentioned supporting members being adjustable on the shaft to vary the relative lengths of the cylindrical and conical portions of said roll.

52. In a boarding machine, a pair of, rolls, a work support arranged to present a piece of work between the rolls for a boarding operation, one of the rolls having an intermediate cylindrical portion and two conical or tapered end portions, boarding members extending longitudinally of the tapered roll and each having a frictional surface to serve as a boarding member, a shaft at the axis of rotation of the tapered roll, members carried by said shaft to support said longitudinally extending members in the cylindrical portion of the roll, and other members carried by the shaft to support the ends of said longitudinally extending members to provide said conical portions of the roll, said end supporting members being movably mounted on said shaft and adjustable to Vary the relative lengths of the cylindrical and conical portions of said roll.

53. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, a work support to present pieces of work to the rolls, one of. the rolls having a plurality of boarding members extending longitudinally of the roll, members to support said longitudinally extending boarding members, certain of the supporting members being constructed and arranged to form in co-operation with said longitudinally extending members a cylindrical portion of said roll, and others of said supporting members being constructed and arranged at or adjacent the ends of the roll to form in co-operation with said longitudinally extending boarding members conical or tapered portions of said roll, and means including a member movable lengthwise of said tapered rollto vary the lengths of said cylindrical and conical portions of the roll.

54. In a boarding machine, a pair of rolls, a work support to present pieces of work to the rolls, one of the rolls having a plurality of laterally spaced boarding members extending longitudinally of the roll, a shaft for said roll, members carried by the shaft to support said longitudinally extending boarding members, certain of the supporting members being constructed and arranged to form in co-operation with said longitudinally extending members a cylindrical portion' of said roll, and others of said supporting members being constructed and arranged at or adjacent the ends of the roll to form in co-operation with said longitudinally extending boarding members conical or tapered portions of said roll, and means including a member movable lengthwise of said shaft to vary the lengths of said cylindrical and conical portions of the roll.

KARL RAUSCH. 

